Category: Clinical Research

Moving to a new locale and to one that has little pharma exposure was quite unique for me. I grew up in a household that constantly discussed medicines be it natural or synthetically made. The discussion ranged from each one’s advantages to disadvantages and the surrounding politics or lobbying.

Quite often, I end up being taken aback by questions put forward. “Do trials happen even now?” “Why would people subject themselves to experiments? It must done for remuneration or by force majeure?”

The concept of doing it for the advancement of medicine or believing in the science that works behind production of such medicine eludes common man even today. Well, the media doesn’t help either. Sensationalism rules the day.

Leaving aside the controversies (that will be discussion for another day) clinical trials are very relevant today, otherwise you would not have that medicine cabinet next to your bedside. Every small medication that you take has undergone rigorous testing though multiple phases. Each of these phases are heavily regulated by various laws, some local and some universal. To produce even the most common drug, say paracetamol, thousands of possible other drug molecules were rejected (read millions of hours spent on studying these failed molecules). The rate of rejection is so high that you rely on that one blockbuster drug to recoup all your lost investments. Hence the higher priced medicines in the market.

As a clinical research professional, you work behind the scenes, handling maybe one or more phases of a particular drug. Your presence is not discernible (except maybe to the company you work for and your colleagues) but your contribution makes huge impact in the lives of millions of people, irrespective of whether the drug succeeds or fails to reach the market.